


Kitraan

by Eastern_Lights



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Not Really Canon Compliant, but close
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2020-09-30 19:49:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20452616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eastern_Lights/pseuds/Eastern_Lights
Summary: In the Clone wars, there are heroes on both sides. When two of those heroes meet, beliefs will be challenged, allegiances questioned and lives fundamentally changed.Follow a young Jedi padawan Kitraan Tahiri as she struggles to do what she believes right, only to find that the right thing to do may not be as obvious as she once thought...





	1. Chapter 1

**22 BBY, Almania**

"Log 154-c, fourth floor, write it down."

"I already have," said one of the group of clone troopers standing on the floor of something that used to be a separatist ship. There was chilling wind blowing everywhere across the bleak landscape of Almania and the air temperature kept moving around that precise low point, where it's never dangerous, but always unpleasant. One of the clones turned around suddenly and called into a long shaft leading from the ship's fourth floor directly down into the dark.

"Are you alright?"

"I still am!" replied a bit annoyed girl's voice. "The last time you asked me was thirty seconds ago and it's starting to get pretty annooooyy-!"

There was a scream and sound of a rope slipping out of a carabine. Then a thud.

"Are you alright?" the clone asked again and everyone gathered at the shaft's entrance.

"Relax, I just found the bottom," came the slightly suffocated answer. "There is- oh, yuck."

"Do you need a new rope, ma'am?"

"No, thanks, just move away from the entrance."

The clones obeyed, moved away and looked a the scenery again.

"Do you really believe there's gonna be something more to this?" one asked his friend on the right.

"It's too damp for droids here," the other shrugged,"But we have to find out how the ships got here either way,"

"And after we do? They're several months old!"

"Orders are orders, remember that."

In that moment, their commander jumped out of the shaft.

"Exactly," she agreed. One of the clones took off his helmet.

"Welcome back, ma'am," he smiled.

He looked about twenty, but in fact, neither he, nor his troops were older than ten. It was a first mission for all of them. The commander had a little more experience. It had been becoming rather common for even the youngest of the Jedi padawans to have been through some action. Kitraan Tahiri had already survived the battle of Geonosis six standard months before. However, unfortunately, her beloved master Trebor had laid down his life there and master Yarru Wen, responsible for her now, was well known for preferring boring and calm asignments, away from any battlefield. Like this one. Never before would Kitraan think it possible for the Jedi arts to include cataloguing, documenting and dealing with authorities, but she was determined, now that things had come to that, to be absolutely perfect at those as well.

"There's a lot of some green slime." she told the troopers. "and the remains of something that maybe used to be alive. Give me a test tube," She carefully lifted her foot, scraped off something hardly describable and put it into the tube,"then send it back to the mother ship for analysis."

"Yes, ma'am," the trooper replied and watched his commander with interest.

She didn't blame him, being used to such stares. She was a trianii, after all, a species not that common in the galaxy, mostly because of being notoriously uninterested in the affairs of any system, except their own, located deep within the Wild space. They resembled cats, and every inch of Kitraan's lean body was covered in soft, gold-brown fur. She was also incredibly swift, flexible and athletic and her young face, still almost cute considering her 13 years of age, was illuminated by big eyes of the same colour as her green lightsaber. Even though most of her species walked unclothed, Kitraan always wore a traditional uniform of her order, only little modified for almost four feet long tail.

"Remind me of your number," she asked the trooper. 

"CT-6844, ma'am." 

Kitraan sighed. 

"Can I call you by name? Like Brix?" 

The clone smiled widely. 

"Of course, ma'am!" 

"Wear the name with honour."

"As you wish, ma'am."

"All right," Kitraan dusted last of the stains off her tunic, "log 154-d, fourth floor, a ventilation shaft, penetrated from the inside, most likely by decompression. Unlikely cause of the accident. Circa 60 metres long, remains of a member of some reptiloid species found at the bottom, due to the ...ehm... biological circumstances any more accurate macroscopical analysis is impossible. Let's proceed."

The group followed her to the next door, and per her orders, took a holograph of it.

"Open the door," Kitraan ordered. 

"Right away, ma'am."

Suddenly, clanking echoed in the dark behind the door. Kitraan's lightsaber whooshed through the air in a blink of an eye and she continued, unimpressed.

"Log 154-e, fourth floor. Room 546-B, probably a warehouse. Cargo: Five B1 battle droids destroyed in the crash, one B1 battle droid destroyed by a lightsaber around," she looked at her chronometer," 1437 of the coordinated galactic time. Proceed." 

When they finally got back from the crash site, it was getting dark.

"Master Wen isn't finished yet?"a very tired Kitraan asked a trooper on guard duty by the entrance, despite the obviousness of the answer.

"No, ma'am. But I'm to tell you to decide whether you return of not, so that he would know where to look for you." 

Because of the unstable ground, they were forced to land several miles away and reached the site on speeders. Kitraan turned to Brix: 

"Is returning worth it?" 

"I don't think so, ma'am. It'll be completely dark soon and we shouldn't leave the work unfinished." 

Kitraan shared his opinion, so she asked two troopers: 

"You and... you," she sighed in annoyance, "what are your -" 

"CT-7865," one quickly answered, "this is CT-7555."

"Listen, I'm starting to grow tired of this," the commander proclaimed, "you all will use this one hour to choose names for yourselves. I'm on a mission with a squad of soldiers, not an electronics catalogue."

The clones shared a quick look and agreed in unison: 

"Roger that, ma'am!"

"So, as I was saying, you two -" She was interrupted by a comlink beeping. "Tahiri here. What is it?" 

"General Wen and the others are coming back from north-west."

"You really don't miss anything, do you, hawk-eyes?" she smiled. "All of them?"

"I don't think so, ma'am. Ten, maybe twenty of them." 

"How many then?" 

"Fifteen ma'am." 

"Brix," Kitraan called the trooper behind her, not even having to turn around, "pick two more troopers and start pitching tents, and somebody take Hawkeyes' place on the guard duty, he's earned his rest."

As soon as she finished talking, everybody heard the noise of speeders approaching and in front of the group appeared the rest of the clone trooper unit, led by Master Yarru Wen himself.


	2. Chapter 2

Nobody who had ever seen the tall Twi'lek would ever imagine that he had a thing for safe and boring work, however, everyone who knew anything about Wen's past understood. In his youth, he fought in countless battles and missions that left his whole body scarred forever. His upper lip was cut from the right side all the way up to his cheekbone, which gave his face a permanently stern expression. Kitraan was his first padawan after more that twenty years that passed since his last apprentice had fallen in a battle and that was partly the reason he was so mild and protective about her.

"Master," Kitraan smiled and came towards him, " Did you find what you were looking for?" "Partially," Yarru Wen admitted, "I did well to leave this site to you - it looks much more stable than mine. We found the black box, but it doesn't contain enough information for us to be certain that nobody survived the crash. What about you?"

"According to the flight records we managed to pull out of the computer, the two ships met on their collision course," Kitraan said, sure of herself, "The ships have been here for a long time, of course, so either everything of interest is long gone, or everything is so irrelevant that nobody bothered to take it."

"Excellent work, padawan." Wen complimented her.

"Don't mention it, Master." Kitraan retorted, meaning every word.

"We'll have to finish it here tomorrow, so that we can leave the planet before the Je'har start minding our presence." the Master said, as Kitraan helped him get his equipment down from his speeder.

"Considering the fact that the closest settlement, Ren'bl Ettes is more than 160 miles away," Kitraan said calmly, "I think the Je'har wouldn't mind us staying here forever."

"Even so, I wouldn't want to be an intruder on their planet for longer than necessary." "Don't worry, Master, we are sure to finish the work tomorrow, but..."

"But?" Yarru Wen stared at Kitraan with his piercing golden eyes.

"But should we lick their boots like this? Everybody knows that they're just a bunch of despots who took Almania by force and now opresses her people, so shouldn't the Council, with respect, do something about it?"

Master Wen smiled and ruffled Kitraan's hair. He'd been doing that quite often since they'd met, and she still hated it.

"You yearn for justice, my dear padawan. You are still young, after all."

Kitraan swallowed several answers that weren't in any way allowed by the Jedi Code and said quietly:

"Aren't the Jedi supposed to fight for peace and justice? Master?"

"In the Republic, yes." Wen agreed. "But internal matters of Almania are none of our business."

"But if we use the Living Force penetrating everything, both living and otherwise, then all matters in existence are our business. Don't you think so, Master?"

She quickly added the question so that her statement wouldn't sound so aggresive.

"Leave that to Master Yoda's classes. Every knight does whatever the Council tells him to, and has no reason to care about anything else. Leave the liberation of Almania to others, we are here for -"

"The two shipwrecks." Kitraan finished gravely, "Of course, Master. Forgive me."

"Alright. Now go and check if the troopers assembled the tents correctly."

"Of course, Master." Kitraan knew that the discussion was over, and went back to her unit. "Everything alright, gentlemen? Any problems?"

The clones exchanged glances, confused about what they were suppesed to have problems with.

"And you are alright?" asked one with concern.

"Relax," Kitraan murmured, keeping her voice under rigid control,"why wouldn't I be?"

"You look upset."

"You don't say," she snapped at him, but calmed down immediately, "sorry."

"It's alright," the surprised trooper said and exchanged glances with Brix. The troops and their commander stood silent for a while - all of them wanted to say something, but found no words.

"You never told me about Kamino," Kitraan said and got up to help Brix pitch a tent.

"What do you mean, ma'am?"

"I've never been there, so I'm curious."

"It rains there," said Hawkeyes who'd just returned from his post, "a lot." Kitraan cringed in the privacy of her mind. It was not as though she couldn't swim, but were she presented with a choice between a mission in water and one on dry land, she wouldn't think twice. What's more, she felt like an idiot with her fur all wet.

"And the training?" she inquired further.

"You have our documentation, ma'am."

"And I've read it," Kitraan nodded, "but what was it like? Difficult?"

"It was designed for us," Brix shrugged, "and master Shaak Ti oversees it well. Ma'am..." Kitraan raised her head. "Yes?"

"What about you?" Brix blurted and in a second started minding his work again. Kitraan understood that, whatever their training on Kamino had been like, it hadn't prepared them for the possibility of their commanding officer simply wanting to chat.

"My training isn't over yet," she shrugged. And if things continue like this, it never will be, she thought, but chased the idea away. "But I'm content. It is a privilege to be fighting for a noble cause."

She acted like she didn't notice Hawkeyes staring at the crash site doubtingly, as if trying to picture a universe in which cataloguing a shipwreck's cargo could be called a noble cause.

"We were made for this fight," Brix nodded. The camp was completed by then, so almost the entire squad gathered around Kitraan.

"The Jedi were too made for the fight for peace," Kitraan pointed out. The clones chuckled.

"You weren't made, surely, ma'am," said the one always asking her whether she was alright.

"How so?" his commander retorted, "if we stop seeing the different methods, the basic principle stays the same. It's the same for you as well as for anyone else in this galaxy. Either we are all made, or we are all born, choose for yourselves."

Noticing the spark in the clones' eyes when she said that, she almost pitied them. What is it like to be born a weapon, with no way to choose your fate and knowing that you are going to spent the rest of your short life fighting for the people who paid for you? It had never even crossed Kitraan's mind that she hadn't had much of a choice either, because if she had, she wouldn't have changed a thing. After all, they maybe wouldn't either.

"Ma'am?" one of the troopers broke the chain of her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Your master wants to see you."


	3. Chapter 3

Kitraan ran to Wen.  
"Take a look at this," he said and handed her his binoculars.  
"It looks like a speeder bike," she murmured as she squinted in the direction Wen had poited in,"and it's heading straight towards us. They know we're here, no coincidence."  
"Can you see the crew yet?"  
"Two," Kitraan reported, "humans. A man and a child."   
She put away the binoculars just before the speeder flew between her and her master and ground to a halt.  
"Weapons down," Wen ordered the troopers, after finding the man currently squinting into blaster barrels quite harmless. The man pulled a five year old boy off his speder, stood him next to himself and turned to master Wen, reassured by the absence of guns pointing at his face.  
"You...you're from the Republic, aren't you?" he whispered quickly.  
"Yes," master Wen replied,"I am master Jedi Yarru Wen, this is my padawan and our troopers. Don't be afraid, no-one here is going to hurt you, whatever the reason you're here."  
"You've got to get out of here!" the stranger blurted," You've gotten yourselves into a great danger!"  
Master Wen raised his eyebrows. "Explain."  
"About three months ago, a great droid army took over the whole planet," the stranger began, muttering so fast Wen and Kitraan could barely understand, while also speaking with a very foreign sounding accent,  
"and they keep advancing. The day before yesterday they burned our village two miles from here, and if they find you-"  
"Don't be afraid," Kitraan interrupted the desperate flow of words, "droids are not even a challenge for us. Our troops will deal with them, rest assured."  
The poor man really did look like a small bundle of nervousness and his little son just stood there unmoving, eyes wide.  
"You said they burned down your village," master Wen continued, "how many survivors?"  
"About twenty, sir," the man replied quietly, "We ran to the mountains, but there are some wounded. If you'd come with me-"  
"Of course," Wen nodded, "We have professional medics, they can take care of the wounded. Then we call for reinforcements and they will take care of the droids. You'll soon have your village back, I promise."  
Kitraan couldn't help but smile at the way the man's eyes glowed with hope for a moment. But then they dimmed again.  
"You can see the village from our hideout in the mountains. If you and two of your men come, I can show you. The machines, weaponry, everything. But don't take more of the troops, I don't know how sensitive their radars are."  
Master Wen nodded curtly.  
"And sir-"  
"Yes?"  
"Could your padawan stay here and take care of my son?" the man whispered, "Trikkie is... all I have left."  
"Excellent idea," Wen agreed, "Kitraan, you stay here."  
Excellent idea, she thought, so now I'm a babysitter as well.  
"Refuel three of the speeders," Wen ordered, "and take the full medikit."  
The clones obeyed with lightning speed and Kitraan soon watched master Wen, the stranger and two troopers disappear in the distance. For the first time in two months something interesting happens, she thought bitterly, and he leaves me here. But she was too reasonable to let her dissatisfaction run away with her - she knew all too well what real fighting looks like and that it includes no fun or adventure. And if the planet had truly been overrun with droids, perhaps she would get more than her fair share.   
"Prepare some cots," Kitraan ordered after stirring from her thoughts and finding almost all the clones staring at her, "and double the guards. This one happened to be a friend, but he got closer than the range of Separatist cannons without us noticing. I don't want such a surprise to happen. Brix!"  
"Yes, ma'am?"  
"See to it that all of our equipment gets moved into one of the ships. There is an adequate storage room on the second floor."  
"Roger that!"  
"And you-"  
"Flint, ma'am," the clone offered.  
"Pardon me?"  
"You told us to chose names for ourselves. I'm Flint."  
"Excellent, Flint, count all the arms available and send the troops to strategic positions, from now on, this is our stronghold, understood?"  
"Yes, ma'am!"  
"Alright," Kitraan let out a breath, reassured by how efficiently and quickly the clones obeyed orders. She suddenly remembered the child and turned.  
The boy was still standing by her side, rigid and unmoving.  
"Don't be afraid," Kitraan smiled, "no-one here is going to hurt you."  
He's in shock, she decided, and carefully, not to startle him, put a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
Her hand went right through him like a warm knife through butter. Kitraan stared in disbelief for a moment before crying out:  
"He's a hologram!"  
Flint, Brix and one more trooper came running up to her.  
"It's a hologram," Kitraan repeated, "not a boy, a hologram!"  
Brix bent down and picked a tiny projector from below the boy's feet. The child's silhouette disappeared.  
"What does this mean?" whispered Flint,  
Kitraan had just figured out the answer and cold sweat started tickling her back, but by that that time, she was already mounting her speeder. Several troopers followed her lead.  
"I leave you in command, lieutenant!" she managed to shout, "We're going to Master Wen, it's a trap!"  
She sped off like a missile.


	4. Chapter 4

Master Wen kept his speeder close behind his guide with two of the clones at his heels. They crossed a short distance on the plain before entering a maze of rocks among which they had to maneuver with the utmost care.  
After a few minutes, the man in front of them leapt into the air, still at full speed, into such height and with such grace it looked almost unnatural. He flipped and fired two shots from the blaster at his belt. They both hit their mark and master Wen stood alone. The killer landed right on his speeder, knocked the Jedi from his seat and they both tumbled down to the rocky ground.  
Wen rose first, ignited his lightsaber, but the assassin was expecting it and jumped back. He jumped better than a monkey-lizard and didn't look human in the slightest anymore - a changeling!  
His leap atop a rock gave him an extra second which was more than enough for him to draw a short baton from his belt. It the blink of an eye, it became a full-fledged staff, both ends crackling with electricity. Wen had never seen a folding electrostaff before, but now was hardly the moment to ponder that. He leapt in the air suddenly, but his opponent was not just about anybody. He seemed to anticipate the Jedi's every step, because he leapt along with him, did a flip to evade Wen's saber and the staff went through the Twi'lek from back to front like he wasn't even there.  
When they landed, he was dead.  
The assassin hardly had the time to exhale when he heard the noise of coming speeder bikes. That was not a part of the plan. He did not need to see the look on Kitraan's face to know that she'd seen everything. He quickly tore a small bomb from his belt, armed it and threw it among his pursuers.  
Kitraan got thrown against a rock by the blast, but immediately jumped to her feet at the sight of the attacker disappearing in the distance. She gave chase, not waiting for her troops. She seethed with rage at the cheap trick the bantha-brain had used to separate them.  
The assassin was unnaturally fast, but Kitraan had not only her Jedi training, but her race's genes as well, so she managed to keep the distance between them stable, if not to shorten it.   
She did not pause to think about the destination, but soon she understood the assassin's plan. In front of them appeared a landing pad occupied by several ancient fighters and a single new one. It was that one that the assassin ran towards and Kitraan picked up the pace until she almost closed the distance between them. She couldn't let him escape, she couldn't!  
She caught the next bomb he'd thrown at her and promptly returned it. The assassin stiffened, but it flew over his head harmlessly.  
"You missed," he smirked.  
His ship exploded.  
"Did I?" Kitraan coutered, "In the name of the Galactic Republic - stand down, you bastard!"  
The man, however, was unwilling to stand down in the name of the Republic or anything else, jumped inside one of the prehistoric fighters and, to Kitraan's astonishment, actually managed to make it fly. She did not hesitate, flung herself into the cockpit of another and used the Force to start up the engine. She set off in pursuit of the assassin. She was an excellent pilot and she knew it, so now she had the opportunity to show him just who had control of the situation here.  
Not even a minute later both fighters were hundreds of miles above ground and beyond the almanian atmosphere.

Only then did Kitraan reluctantly admit to herself that chasing the changeling this far might not have been the best idea. Neither one of the fighters had a hyperspace drive, or enough fuel for a prolonged flight. Their options were either to land on a planet nearby or run out and freeze to death. However, the young Jedi understood that this assassin was smart enough to notice the fighters' state, so she just kept her ship at his heels and waited.  
After thirty minutes of flight, just when she started doubting the correctness of her assessment, her quarry turned his ship to a planet, mere look of which made Kitraan's stomach clench with fear. For no logical reason, cold sweat started trickling down her back. But she was not about to give up now. She pursued the assassin into the lower atmosphere.


	5. Chapter 5

They landed just twenty feet apart. Kitraan leapt from her fighter and before the assassin could even think of escaping, he had her lightsaber inches from his throat.  
"You are under arrest for the murder of Master Yarru Wen and several clone troopers," she said harshly.  
"I could run away," her captive proclaimed wearily, "but I don't care enough. I'm sick of this."  
Kitraan grew a bit uncertain at that answer, but the saber in her hand was enough of a statement. She wasn't unsettled that much by his response, but rather by the planet itself. A wasteland of reddish sand and razor-sharp rocks, with not a plant in sight. Dead silence pressed on her from all sides, and a strange stench filled her nostrils.  
Her captive noticed the side glances.  
"Welcome to Moraband, girl, and tell me yourself - was it wise to make me run here?"  
"Nobody made you do anything," Kitraan snapped.  
"You think I had a choice? Do you know what this place is? All the evil to ever terrorize the galaxy has its roots here! Hssiss, tuk'ata, wraids...and Sith, if you believe in fairy tales."  
"I know what Moraband is," Kitraan cut him off, "but now I want to know about you. What are you? Some sort of changeling?"  
The man snorted.  
"Never call a Shi'ido a changeling, unless you want to really anger him, tiny, remember that."  
"Don't call me that!"  
"Why not?" he countered, seemingly unfazed by the sword at his throat.  
"I've seen trianii, they are about two metres tall, more often even taller, so according to all known measurements, you are tiny. Have you ever seen any of your kind, or have the Jedi torn you right off your mother's breast?"  
"I- listen, this isn't the point," Kitraan said as she struggled to remember Master Yoda's calming breathing excercises, "So you're a Shi'ido?"  
"As I said. If you care about my name, it's Zanenn Cass."  
"I don't actually. But the judge surely will."  
"He may, but by that time, I won't be available. I don't intend to get dragged in front of one of those amazing Jedi courts of yours.  
Kitraan pursed her lips. "I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice," she hissed with her teeth gritted.  
"I don't want to hurt you, tiny," Zanenn Cass smiled.  
"But I want to hurt you."  
"You can't always get what you want, take that as a life advice. Now leave me alone."  
"Not a chance," Kitraan snapped, " Are you with the Separatists?"  
"I'm with anyone who can afford me, tiny."  
"Stop calling me that!" she shouted, her lightsaber getting ever so closer to the assassin's neck. "A bounty hunter, then?" she asked after calming down a bit. "Not just a murderer, but a serial killer."  
"I don't see it like that," Cass shrugged, "people point at someone, and I swat them like a fly. You could say I'm an entomologist."  
"Don't think that you're funny."  
"You don't have a sense of humour."  
"This isn't funny, you're wicked and perverted and I'm not about to argue with-"  
"A typical woman."  
"Excuse me?"  
"You heard,"  
"I'm gonna- watch out!" Kitraan cried out, instinclively pushed the Shi'ido, pressing him against the ground, when a humongous scaly beast charged from among the rocks.  
The air around them vibrated with its roar, Kitraan got to her feet and turned on her lightsaber.  
"Tuk'ata," Cass whispered, drawing his electrostaff, and walked over to Kitraan's side.  
"I know," she snapped quietly, while the monster painfully slowly turned to them and stared at its future meal with a pair of unexpectedly intelligent eyes.  
Sith hounds, they were sometimes called. Legends said that they were the guardians of the entrance to the Valley of the Dark Lords.  
"Stay behind me," Kitraan ordered the bounty hunter, "I want to bring a prisoner to Coruscant, not a corpse."  
"If they get close enough, not even that will be left."  
"'They?'"  
"To your left," Cass whispered and Kitraan looked to see another Sith hound pass their fighters. Both beasts were over two metres long, a row of sharp spines running from head to tail with three horns adorning their elongated skulls. When one drew back its lips to growl, she could see three rows of deadly sharp teeth.  
They both charged at once. Kitraan dodged the houd's massive jaws by rolling under the beast's belly. She swung at it with her lightsaber, but missed as the monster snapped at her once again, getting so close she got covered in its sticky saliva. She force-pushed the Tuk'ata away. It landed on all fours and leapt atop one of the fighters, breaking the transparisteel of the cockpit. A howl of pain filled the valley as the Sith hound cut its paws on the debris. Kitraan seized the opportunity, charged the beast, but the pain-crazed tuk'ata swung its tail at her, knocking her lightsaber out of her hand.  
Suddenly, there was another howl as Cass ran his tuk'ata through. The other hound turned to look at his companion, which gave Kitraan enough time to reclaim her weapon and cut the tuk'ata's throat in a single practiced motion.  
"Watch out!" she cried out when a third hound emerged from a ravine nearby, its evil eyes set on Cass. She leapt toward the beast and both her lightsaber and the shi'ido's staff found their mark almost simultanously.  
"Good job, Tiny!"  
"Don't call me-"  
"There's more!" he interrupted her and at least five more tuk'ata started converging on them, piercing their tiny prey with vengeful glares.  
"Don't move a muscle," the shi'ido murmured, "Trust me."  
With that he sheathed his weapon, took several steps backwards and started running towards the monsters, his face radiating concentration.  
"What-" Kitraan yelped when two leathery wings suddenly grew out of Cass' back and he took off just a metre before the hounds.  
Kitraan found herself alone in the circle of tuk'ata. She clutched her lightaber desperately as the hounds leapt. However, by that time, Cass had already turned around, a pair of strong arms grabbed her under hers and the ground beneath her feet disappeared.  
Cass flew like a missile along the valley, still pursued by the furious pack on the ground.  
"On my belt! Quick!" Cass ordered, holding Kitraan even tighter as she took out his last two grenades, armed them and threw. The explosion blasted them off course and Kitraan was afraid for a moment that he was about to drop her. She needen't have worried.  
The grenades took out most of the tuk'ata, but only a madman would stop.  
Suddenly, two tall statues of hooded figures emerged from the reddish mist. They each stood at one side of a massive open gate leading to an imposing temple seemingly carved out of the very rock.  
The tuk'ata howled furiously, this time much closer. Cass flew even faster, right into the darkness of the temple.  
Daylight died after just ten metres. For a few seconds, they flew through the utter blackness before hitting a stone wall at full speed. A seemingly eternal fall followed, a thud, and then deathly silence.

"Are you awake?"  
Kitraan started rummaging through the dark. She soon found the body of her captive. He was not moving.  
She put her palms on his temples, and tried getting herself into a light meditative state to awaken the flow of the Living Force within herself, just as Master T'ra Saa had taught her back home at the Jedi temple. That was no easy task, since she could almost feel this place's evil on her skin, almost as if it were coming out of the walls themselfves, trying to suffocate her. Despite this, she succeeded and channeled the Force into the unconscious body of Zanenn Cass. He yelped and started coughing.  
"Tiny!"  
A slap echoed through the dark.  
"Stop calling me that!"  
"Then how?"  
She hesitated. Then:  
"Tahiri. Padawan Kitraan Tahiri."  
In the silence that ensued, Kitraan could hear Zanenn Cass examining himself, looking for his non-existent fractures.  
"Good job, Kitty," he said, sounding honest.  
Kitraan resigned on attempting to fix that nickname as well, and just murmured:  
"I'm simply paying back a debt. This changes nothing about your position."  
"Do you have any idea where we are?"  
"I'm afraid I do," Kitraan sighed.  
"And?"  
"If that outside was the Valley of the Dark Lords, then this has to be - no, we're not even going to think about it, let's just get out of here, fast."  
"Where? Out?"  
"Believe me, even that would be an improvement. Moraband is a Sith burial ground and the seat of the Dark side. There isn't a worse place for a Jedi to be."  
"Then I'm lucky enough not to be a Jedi," Zanenn remarked.  
"But you are Force-sensitive, I can feel that," Kitraan said out loud what she'd noticed even before.  
"Let me tell you something, Kitty," Zanenn interrupted her, "If one of those illustrious masters of yours finds me and offers to train me, I'll send him places that no Jedi's ever been to."  
"As you wish. But I think since the Clone wars started, every Jedi finds himself in such places rather regularly. Can you walk now?"  
"I think so."  
Kitraan offered him a shoulder and together they walked a few steps.  
"It's dark as a tomb in here," Zanenn murmured.  
"Try not to think about why that is," Kitraan said, "We need light. Can't you grow some of those glowing antennae that deep sea fish have?"  
"I could, but they're not going to glow. But you could spark up that laser sword of yours."  
"Excuse me?" Kitraan growled, "A lightsaber is a weapon, the best in the Universe, in fact, not a glow-stick!"  
Zanenn sighed.  
"Sure, you can tell me stories about it until we hit the nearest column. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone what that amazing saber of yours can be used for."  
Kitraan decided not to send that insolent fool anywhere, since anywhere would have been an improvement compared to here. She turned on her lightsaber.  
Soft greenish light illuminated their surroundings.  
"Do you have any idea which way is out?" Zanenn Cass prompted. Kitraan noted that he changed his appearance again, although she wasn's sure whether this was the real one. Now he was tall, grey-skinned humanoid with sharp features and silvery hair.  
She shook her head.  
"I can't use the Force here as well as elsewhere - and I'm not going to try. Who knows what kinds of things it could awaken."  
"Terentateks, shyracks..."  
"They'd be the least of our problems."  
"I'd like to avoid them anyway," Zanenn murmured and followed Kitraan further into the dark.


	6. Chapter 6

Several hours later, the Jedi temple, Coruscant

Master Obi-Wan Kenobi stepped out of an elevator and entered the Jedi Council chambers in a brisk walk. The same Council chambers where, since a month before, one of the seats belonged to him.  
"Master Kenobi, as early as ever," smiled master Adi Gallia, the only other council member already present, "It's good to see you."  
"Master," Obi-Wan bowed lightly, but instead of sitting down, he crossed the room to look out of the window. Master Gallia joined him and they both looked down at the busy streets of Coruscant.  
"How is the battle for Lola Sayu?" she asked.  
"Lost. We retreated fairly soon. It's not the kind of planet that would be worth losing lives over. Everybody's eyes are now turned towards Christophsis. If we don't do something soon, I sense trouble."  
"We all do, and not just on Christophsis. I leave for Damonite with my troops tomorrow."  
"Be sure to pack something to keep you warm," Obi-Wan smiled.  
"Too bad you're not coming along- I mean," Adi all too perfectly hid any embarassment she might have felt as she corrected herself: "I mean that your experience with the planet could prove useful. Thank you for the advice."  
"I can send you my notes," Obi-Wan offered, then went to his chair, because it was at that moment that masters Yoda, Windu and Mundi entered the chamber, closely followed by others.  
The meeting started with a fifteen minute delay, and even that was uncharacterictically punctual as some of the elder masters had their own truly strange opinions of the flow of time, seeing it as much more flexible than it was.  
The first one to speak was Master Kit Fisto, who was of Atraken at the time, and whose hologram projector was less than reliable, making it appear as though the Jedi was impaled on the armrest of his chair. The rest of the Council was present, each member needing to discuss something different, but basically the same. After the first thirty minutes, Obi-Wan started feeling his thoughts drifting elsewhere. He didn't feel quite well, he was still tired after returning from Lola Sayu and he was worried. Much more than at the meeting, his mind was on Felucia, where Anakin along with his usual overabundance of energy worked on completing his first mission as a Jedi knight. As soon as the meeting was over, he had to check up on him. No, he'd called him that morning, that was enough. He had told Anakin to give him a call if anything - But he knew his former apprentice too well to assume that he'd deliver on his vague promises and let his master know about his progress.  
"Yes, Master Windu, I agree completely."  
How can politicians even survive such meetings, let alone seek them out?! And most of them live to a ripe old age, truly incredible.  
Same old problems, too many enemies, not enough troops...  
"... which brings us to the situation of Yarru Wen and his padawan on Almania," Mace Windu said.  
That woke Obi-Wan up a bit. Such an announcement was the last thing he had expected. That something, anything, might concern a man who had been unscrupulously nicknamed "the Vulture", since everywhere he went, he went only after everybody else had left and everything interesting was gone. He had heard about his apprentice before as well. She was one of the three padawans to survive the battle of Geonosis.  
"What could have happened to Wen?" asked Master Shaak Ti, voicing everyone's thoughts.  
Somebody chuckled, but Windu remained deathly serious.  
"According to his troops' testimony, someone lured him into a trap and killed him," he said and the chamber fell silent as a tomb.  
"That is horrible," Adi Gallia murmured, "How?"  
"We're not yet sure," Windu answered, "his second in command claims to have found his body with a stab wound all the way through the chest."  
"A lightsaber?" Plo Koon wondered.  
"Apparently not. But whatever killed him must have been a very good fighter. Possibly a Force-sensitive. Apart from master Wen, the assassin murdered five clone troopers."  
"Are the Separatists behind this?"  
"The troops say they can't be sure, but according to the unit's pyrotech, the attacker had used something akin to a flash grenade."  
"That is not at all like the Separatists. Never before had they preferred blinding their enemies to killing them," Master Koth said.  
"Unfortunately, for troopers on speeders, in didn't make much of a difference," Windu continued, "It's strange, but it seems as though the assassin didn't want to hurt anybody but Master Wen. We can't make any assumptions, of course, until we have our own people investigate."  
"What about the padawan?" Obi-Wan asked, "What does she think? Is she alright?"  
"She is our main problem right now. The most urgent one, anyway. Padawan Tahiri has disappeared. Her speeder was destroyed along with the others, but the clones never found her body."  
"Someone has to go to Almania," Obi-Wan decided, "discover what happened and find padawan Tahiri, dead or alive."  
Master Yoda chuckled: "Thank you for volunteering, Master Kenobi. Invested in this task you seem to be. In the Outer rim, closer to your former student rather than here you wish to be, hmm?" the Grand Master added.  
"I will leave immediately," Obi-Wan said, trying to ignore Yoda's jibe.  
"Be careful," Adi told him, "The less we know about this killer, the more dangerous he is. He's already slain one Jedi today."  
Mace Windu nodded, apparently content.  
"If no-one has anything to add, I call for a vote to end this meeting," he said.

Sith tombs, Valley of the Dark Lords, Moraband

"You don't happen to know what time it is, do you?" Zanenn asked and Kitraan shook her head.  
They had made a small fire a while before, burning their cloaks and other unnecessary pieces of clothing due to the lack of wood. Kitraan struggled to keep the flame alive with the help of the Force.  
"We could have been wandering these tunnels for a few minutes of a few hours," she said, "I can't orient myself or concentrate properly, this place... " she shivered, "is evil."  
"We'll be okay as soon as we find an upward leading staircase," Zanenn tried to reassure her, " the problem is-"  
"That we're walking in circles, just say it," the Jedi finished, "and the longer we roam around here, the more likely it is that we get noticed by something - or worse, someone."  
"You Jedi really believe in Sith?" he asked conversationally, "Scary hooded folks i black robes that want nothing more than to wipe out the Jedi and take control of the Galaxy? That's what I call paranoia, you know."  
"The Sith are real," Kitraan snapped, "Now more than ever. Everyone trained in sensing the Force can feel that the Dark side is ascendant."  
"Are you saying that they're just hiding in a hole somewhere, waiting for an opportune moment?"  
"Exactly."  
"Wouldn't in be better then to try and kill them? You've said a while ago that your masters can find anyone using the Force."  
"It's not that simple."  
"Wait, so you're trying to tell me that even though every Force-sensitive can feel the Sith rising, the very best of your order can't find them while they're holed up right under your nose and-"  
"It's not like that!"  
"Then what is it like?"  
"Shut up, Zanenn," Kitraan growled and the flames shot up a bit. After a moment of silence, she offered: "But Master Kenobi killed one of them ten years ago, saving the Queen of Naboo."  
"And then they got married and lived happily ever after. No, wait," he corrected himself, "If he's a Jedi, then he just lived ever after. If you can call it life."  
"Are you mocking our order?"  
"Don't take it personally, I mock the whole Galaxy - it's mutual, by the way."  
"Then maybe if you stopped, that'd be mutual too," Kitraan said, "and I won't let you utter another word against the Council. Soon, they'll send someone here, to rescue me, and to lock you up for the rest of your life."  
"I can't wait," Zanenn muttered.  
Kitraan poked him with her elbow and winced in pain.  
"Are you okay?" the bounty hunter asked.  
"Just a scratch, from one of the Sith hounds."  
"Here, let me take a look at it," he said and rolled up the sleeve of her tunic, "the least I can do is give you a bacta patch and a bandage," he explained, taking the necessary supplies from the small bag at his belt, "this might sting a little."  
"Tell me," Kitraan wondered, watching him work, "why a bounty hunter?"  
"Because I'm good at it," he shrugged, "I've spent my whole life learning the necessary skills."  
"Didn't you ever want to be a soldier or something like that?"  
Zanenn chuckled.  
"As a bounty hunter, I can choose whom to kill. In a way, it's more free and morally justified than the job of any soldier. Or yours."  
"You can't compare yourself to me."  
"Why not? We both kill those we get ordered to kill, only I get paid for it and can say no."  
"I've never killed anyone!" Kitraan defended herself.  
"Then it's only a matter of time."  
Kitraan opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. She'd always been taught to take a life as a last resort, but those situations did happen. She'd been just lucky so far not to have to kill. No, she didn't want to think about that.  
"You haven't said no to Master Wen's murder," she accused.  
"No."  
"Why?"  
Before answering, he finished bandaging the Jedi's arm and rolled her sleeve back down.  
"Keeping my mouth shut is part of my job. Ask all you want, but you won't get any names or motives. I'd loose respect for myself."  
"If I really want to, I can get every dirty secret you've ever had out of you," Kitraan said.  
"Try it."  
Kitraan concentrated and waved her hand in front of his eyes, "You will tell me who hired you."  
There was silence for a moment, before Zanenn laughed, "Very nice," he praised drily, "Try waving it the other way."  
"How did you do that?"  
"Kitty, you're not going to get me talking like this. I've spent my life learning all sorts of tricks and how to resist them."  
"How old are you anyway?"  
"You really want to hear the truth?" he sighed, "I don't know. I have no idea where or when I was born, or who my parents were. My first memories are from Nar Shaddaa. I lived on the streets and stole not to starve to death. And you?" he quickly changed the subject, "do you remember anything other than the Order?"  
"I'm not sure whether they are memories or just my imagination," she admitted softly, "I was just two years old when I was kidnapped from Fibuli by pirates. Revenge for my grandfather the Ranger general ruining their business, you see. My father broke the Ruling council's decree not to contact the Republic and went to the Jedi for help. They saw that he was Force-sensitive, and agreed to help if they could keep me as a padawan. That's how I got here."  
"Have you ever regretted?"  
"No, never. You?"  
"Just once. More than fifty years ago."  
"What happened?"  
Zanenn thought for a moment before shaking his head.  
"Sorry. It's too personal."  
"Of course," Kitraan nodded, leaning against the wall.  
"Go get some sleep," Zanenn offered, "I'll keep watch."  
He noticed the suspicion in her expression and smiled:  
"You still don't trust me?"  
Kitraan remained silent, but she curled up on the ground and fell asleep.  
Zanenn Cass just watched the dying flames in silence, smiling sadly.

At the same time, Almania

"So here's where it happened?" Obi-Wan asked when Flint and Brix led him to the place of Wen's death.  
"Yes, sir," Brix said, "We've found his body along with six crashed speeders. The assassin's bike was about twenty metres further."  
"How have you searched for her?"  
"The captain has sent out patrols in every direction," Flint answered, "and we've contacted Stonia and Ren'bl Ettes, but..."  
"Both of their speeders crashed, they had to go on foot," Obi-Wan murmured and used the Force to follow the almost invisible footprints away from the crash site. The clones followed him curiously.  
About half an hour later they found themselves on a landing pad.  
"These fighters have to be even older than those shipwrecks of ours," Brix decided, "And none of them belong to the Seps."  
"That may be," Obi-Wan said, "but I'm more concerned about this one."  
Quickly, he walked over to another fighter, half destroyed in an explosion.  
"I'd say the mystery of how the assassin got here is solved," the Jedi master said, "Surely he'd wanted to escape the same way. But someone had ruined his plans."  
"But sir, commander Tahiri had so such explosives on her," Brix argued, "It's got to be one of those flash grenades of his."  
"No ordinary flash grenade could have done this," Flint countered, "but I've had Sunblast, the pyrotech, examine the previous explosions and he thinks it's a unique combination of a flash and shatter grenade. The shockwave destroys everything rigid and unyielding, metal, armor and so on, but leaves the soft tissue fairly undamaged."  
"I've never heard of such a thing. Any idea who could have manufactured them?"  
"No army or organization that I know of, general," Flint answered, "and I doubt they could be mass produced."  
"Is it possible that the assassin made them himself," Obi-Wan murmured, "After all, why not. Even Jedi have their personal enemies."  
"Sir!" Brix called out suddenly, ran a few steps and pointed at the ground, "Here it looks as if one went missing!"  
"Two," Flint corrected, pointing a bit further.  
"This cannot be a coincidence," Obi-Wan decided.  
"But general, the only place these could have gone is a museum, not space!"  
"Check fuel levels and flight capabilities on the other ones," the Jedi master ordered. While the clones worked, he looked over the surroundings. His theory had to be correct.  
Obi-Wan could understand a padawan wanting to bring their master's killer to justice, but Kitraan Tahiri's behaviour was far too reckless. Run away from her unit like that! Of course, Yarru Wen's padawan was bound to be bursting with unspent energy. He remembered young Kitraan from Master Trebor's funeral... And now she'd lost another master. The more supersticious members of the Order could easily claim that teaching her was bad luck.  
"General," Brix began, "all those fighters are capable of flight and have enough fuel only for about half a parsec, not more."  
"Map," Obi-Wan ordered. When Flint activated the projector, he started rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Surely they wouldn't fly further out of the Galaxy, but towards the Core... Obi-Wan froze for a moment, before hiding his face in his palms. Oh, no.

"Arfour, get me the Jedi council, immediately!" he cried out as all three of them reached his own fighter after a ten minute sprint.  
"You're fast, Obi-Wan," Mace Windu remarked.  
"Far too slow," Obi-Wan corrected breathlessly, "There has been a developement in my investigation."  
"And? Who was the assassin?"  
"I still have no idea, master, but I do know where he most likely is now, along with Kitraan Tahiri. I ask permission to give pursuit."  
"Since when does a council member need the Council's permission for something like that? Do what you think is best."  
"They are on Moraband, masters."  
There was deathly silence for a moment.  
"This... cannot be," master Shaak Ti breathed.  
"The evidence is clear as are my instincts. They are on Moraband."  
"I'm sorry things had to end this way," master Ki-Adi Mundi said mournfully, as he exchanged glances with Windu, "I finished reading her records just a moment ago. Tahiri could have become an exceptional Jedi."  
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow.  
"'Could have?''Had to end'? What are you talking about, master?"  
"Obi-Wan," master Windu frowned, "you know what Moraband is. It's the burial ground of everything that should be forgotten and never again see the light of day. There is nothing that could go there and return intact."  
"If we do nothing, she won't return for sure," Obi-Wan countered.  
"Do you have any idea how many Jedi set foot on Moraband and never came back?" asked Oppo Rancisis, his voice full of compassion, "Greatest Sith of history rest in its tombs and they have not lost their power in death. The arrival of a Force-sensitive will be for them like a promise of a feast for a starving man! The padawan-"  
"Kitraan Tahiri," Obi-Wan interrupted.  
"Out of all the deadly planets in the Galaxy, she's found herself on the single worst," Kit Fisto said, "in the company of a Jedi killer, no less. I don't like letting her go any more than you do, but there is nothing we can do. She is most likely dead by now and if not, she will be within two hours."  
"Then I'd best get there in under two hours," Obi-Wan said. He didn't know what compelled him to act so illogically when it came to Kitraan Tahiri's case, but him instincts had never betrayed him before, and he intended to trust them now as well.  
Master Yoda cleared his throat, "And if find her alive you do, what then, hm?"  
"I bring her home to Coruscant, of course."  
"The same as she was before, you think? Nothing that into the lair of the Sith ventures, as it were returns."  
"We can't risk Tahiri bringing something that is so far safely isolated on Moraband into this Temple," Windu finished, "She is lost to us, Obi-Wan. There is nothing we can do."  
"Yes, master."  
"Make sure you've made no mistake, wrap up the investigation and come back to Coruscant. The Wen-Tahiri case will be closed."  
"Yes, master," Obi-Wan repeated and the hologram disappeared. He sat down on the wing of his starfighter.  
"General," Brix interrupted his thoughts after a moment, "we didn't mean to eavesdrop, but... Is it true the Council won't allow you to investigate any further?"  
"I'm sorry, but yes," the Jedi nodded, "it's too risky."  
"Then allow us, general," Flint said and several clones behind him nodded their agreement.  
Obi-Wan looked up in surprise.  
"You?"  
"We will find commander Tahiri and if we are to lay down our lives, so be it."  
"You need not worry about your unit," Obi-Wan said, "as soon as Kitraan Tahiri is officially declared dead, the Council will find you a new commanding officer."  
"With all due respect," another clone with a sargeant's markings on his armor protested, "commander Tahiri won't be dead for us until her death is proven without a doubt."  
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows in surprise and examined the unit with renewed interest.  
"What's your number, sargeant?" he asked after a while.  
"CT-6844, sir, but my name is Brix."  
"'Brix'? She gave you that name, didn't she?"  
"Yes sir, but how-"  
"How do I know?" Obi-Wan smiled mirthlessly, "Brix Barsee was the padawan of master Sar Labooda. He laid down his life during the battle of Geonosis to save three people - his master, Kitraan Tahiri and her first master. Out of the four of them, only Kitraan survived the battle."  
"Yes sir," Brix nodded awkwardly and Obi-Wan jumped to his feet as though he reached a decision.  
"You listened to the whole discussion, right?" he turned to the clones and they nodded reluctantly, "Then you surely remember master Windu saying 'Do what you think is best'. We're going to follow orders."  
He wiped imaginary sweat off his brow.  
"I'd never imagine myself doing this as well. Arfour, get me command of the 501st."  
No more than thirty seconds later, the holo of his former student greeted Obi-Wan.  
"Master," Anakin smiled, a little too much to seem convincing, "I'm glad to see you again so soon. I'm proud to report that we haven't moved an inch since this morning. We're wrapping the situation up and will be on our way home by 1800."  
"No, you won't," Obi-Wan said, "I have a mission for you."  
"I'm all ears, master."  
"Ehm... Anakin..." Obi-Wan hesitated, the words refusing to leave his throat.  
His student raised an eyebrow.  
"Yes, Master?"  
"I'd never imagine I'd ask something like this of you, but... Are you in the mood to disobey the Jedi council?"  
"Since you are now part of the Jedi council, I recon the correct answer should be 'no'."  
"Right now I want to hear the truthful one, not the correct one."  
"What do you need?"  
Obi-Wan explained the situation briefly. Anakin looked genuinely taken off guard.  
"Now that's something..."  
"It will be dangerous," Obi-Wan warned.  
"But master-"  
"And basically illegal."  
"I don't understand, do you want my help or not?"  
Obi-Wan sighed.  
"I guess I don't have a choice now. Aayla Secura should be finishing up her mission in your sector, let her know as well. We're going to need all the help we can get. I'm going to call Luminara, hopefully she'll agree too. Meet me on Moraband's orbit."  
"You can count on me, Master," Anakin winked and ended the call.


	7. Chapter 7

Several hours later, Sith tombs, Moraband

Zanenn Cass had been sitting for several hours without moving, even though the Force-fed fire had been long dead. It wasn't the first time he was forced to work in total darkness, and was quite capable of substituting his sight with hearing. He didn't need to sleep as much as think about how to get out of this mess, and that took some long thinking indeed. Firstly, he did not expect any Jedi to risk coming to this hellhole for the sake of a single girl. He had his own experience with the Order and had heard some ugly stories as well. A bunch of arrogant pompous twats that obey orders without question, yet claim to work for peace, all the while destroying everything that isn't in accordance with their views. Anything for peace, of course. He had no doubt Kitraan was just like that. And if not, she would soon be. Would be, if they ever got off Moraband. As they were, they were going to wander these tunnels 'till the end of their days, which was bound to come soon, with all those monsters crawling around. Well... Zanenn hesitated for a moment before adjusting Kitraan's robe to keep her at least a bit warm. He retreated immediately. There are worse ways for a life to end, he thought. After all those years... Suddenly, he felt tired. Not due to the lack of sleep, but rather everything he'd been through, everything he'd done. He had no regrets. However, the thought that he'd somehow get off this planet just to carry on as he'd always done, until the centuries of his shi'ido life ran out or someone with sufficiently good aim came around suddenly made him sick. A man with no face, no name, no purpose. From the beginning until forever. Damn this whole Galaxy!  
A clicking sound interrupted his thoughts. Zanenn's senses sharpened to the utmost and he pushed his filosophical questions aside. He sat still as a statue for a few seconds before putting his hand over Kitraan's mouth and waking her up.  
"Lay still and listen," he whispered in her ear. She obeyed.  
The disturbing sounds returned.  
"They're coming from above, on the left," she whispered. Her trianii hearing was apparently even better than Zanenn's.  
"We run. On the count of three-"  
"Three!" Kitraan blurted out, drew her lightsaber and the two of them started running to their right, through the chamber and a narrow door. They didn't stop or look back until the sounds disappeared and they entered another chamber.  
"Who teaches you Jedi how to count!" Zanenn growled when they finally stopped.  
"They were two metres away. Had we counted traditionally, we'd be dead."  
"Thanks."  
"Don't mention it. What were those?"  
Zanenn shrugged, "I have no desire to go back to ask if you don't mind-"  
Suddenly there was a loud thud, like the sound of some sort of giant drum, and bright blood red light cut through the darkness all around.  
Blinded, Zanenn and Kitraan shielded their eyes, but after a moment of terrified silence dared to look around. The light came from several hundred mysteriously lit torches set in the walls of the largest chamber Kitraan had seen in these tombs.  
There was a loud roar as the tunnel they had arrived through collapsed.  
"I have a bad feeling about this," Kitraan murmured and the soft sound got amplified by the multilayered echo of the chamber ...about this...out this...thisss...hisss....isss....sss  
Along the walls there were dozens of huge piedestals of black stone, each of them supporting an equally massive throne. Not even the ominous red light was necessary to convince anyone that they had no business being here.  
"There is the only other exit," Zanenn said and pointed to the other side of the chamber, seemingly infinitely far, "We've got to move fast, this place-"  
"Is dead," Kitraan whispered, "and yet, in its death, it lives."  
"I don't even want to think about what you meant by that."  
"It was a quote," Kitraan assured him, "From the Chronicles of the Great Hyperspace War, when the Sith order was destroyed and cast into oblivion."  
"Hush!" Zanenn hissed and both of them listened, "Don't talk like this. Not here."  
The air was full of ominous whisperings. They ceased as soon as the duo fell silent.  
"Come, quick," Zanenn blurted out and both of them set out across the chamber. Only then did they notice that the thrones were not empty. Every single one of them held a body. Most of them humanoids, some clad in elaborate clothes and jewels, all dead with little but bleached bones remaining. Even so, the intruders felt like they were being watched by all the empty eyesockets.  
Kitraan turned her gaze down.  
"There's something written here," she whispered and took a few steps back to read it. Zanenn reluctantly followed.  
"It's gibberish," he said, "I can't make out a letter."  
"It's the Sith language," the Jedi let out a breath, "This is incredible! It seems to be the original inscription of the Sith code, tens of milennia old!"  
"Fantastic," Zanenn muttered drily, "Now come. This place feels really strange."  
"Nwûl tash," Kitraan read softly, "dzwol shâstokun. Shâstojontû châtsatul nu tyûk. Tyûkjontû châtsatul nu midwan. Midwanjontû châtsatul nu asha. Ashajontû kotswinot itsu nuyak. Wonoksh Quâsik nun. It is the Sith code."  
Zanenn's jaw dropped.  
"You can speak Sith? Do all Jedi speak Sith?"  
"Not all of them," Kitraan admitted, "but during my training at the Temple, the masters lent me a protocol droid with expanded language database, so that I could learn Trianii"  
"You mean to tell me that protocol droids have Sith in their arsenal?"  
"Not normally, no. But someone had tampered with mine. Probably some twisted idea of a joke. The droid taught me to speak Sith fairly well, before I worked out what language it was."  
"I suppose I'm the first to learn of your... unorthodox studies, right?"  
"And the last," Kitraan murmured as she watched the dead bodies with interest.  
"Kitraan, could you-"  
"You're always in a hurry!" she snapped.  
"For a good reason if we ever want your friends to rescue more than our bleached bones!"  
"You don't believe they will come," Kitraan countered, "I understand that now. And even if they wanted to, they're not going to find us here. So before a monster bites my head off or hunger and thirst kill me, I want to at least see and learn what no Jedi's ever even come close to!"  
"Please, don't look at me like that," Zanenn said.  
"How?"  
He hesitated. "You look strange. Different."  
Kitraan waved her hand, then turned back and started walking along the piedestals.  
"Kûskkun," she whispered.  
"And what's that supposed to mean?" asked Zanenn as he watched her from safe distance.  
"I said: They're just sleeping."  
"Then how about we get the hell out of here before they wake up?"  
"One more word about leaving, Zanenn Cass, and I will gut you like a neek!"  
"Are you even listening to yourself?"  
"Shut up."  
She continued pacing along the dead, studying them and reading the tombstones.  
"Darth Acina, she was the Sith Empress more than three thousand years ago," she said, "here is Darth Desolous, Darth Nox, Darth Malak-"  
"I've heard of that one. He used to be a Jedi, before turning to the Dark side and going completely mad."  
Kitraan did not react at all.  
"... Darth Zash, Darth Thanaton... and this one is empty!"  
She had reached the last throne of that row and finally acknowledged Zanenn's presence.  
"What do you think it means? That it's empty?"  
"I don't want to think about it," Zanenn replied, "But it's got a name, like the others."  
"Darth Vader," Kitraan read, frowning, "Who's Darth Vader?"  
"You're asking me?"  
Kitraan continued to stare at the empty throne before shuddering.  
"This... this is wrong," she whispered weakly, "I can feel it, I... I want to get out of here. Now."  
"Glory be," Zanenn breathed out, took Kitraan's arm and lead her out through the only exit into another dark tunnel.

At the same time, the orbit of Moraband

"I truly appreciate you coming here, Luminara," Obi-Wan said, meaning every word, as they walked towards the bridge of his flagship, the Negotiator.  
"When a council member asks something of us," Luminara Unduli retorted, "we obey, don't we, Barriss?" she looked over her shoulder at her padawan, a thirteen-year-old mirialan with a permanently serious expression.  
"Could we have a word in private?" asked Obi-Wan and Barriss Offee left without a word.  
"Is it wise to take her with us?" he whispered, "This won't be an ordinary mission."  
"You've mentioned that," Luminara nodded, "and I took it into consideration. However, I have complete faith in my padawan."  
"This isn't just about faith. I don't want to drag more Jedi into this than necessary."  
"Either both me and Barriss come, or neither does," Luminara said, "take your pick."  
"As you wish."  
One extra Jedi won't kill the Council, Obi-Wan thought.  
"General," one of the Negotiator's sensor officers called from the crew pits, "we've got two Actis fighters approaching."  
"That's probably Anakin and Aayla," Obi-Wan said, "Have they sent the proper access codes?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"Have them land in the forward docking bay, then."  
"Right away, sir."  
Obi-Wan, Luminara and Barriss turned to leave the bridge and got to the docking bay just in time to greet the new arrivals.  
"We're here, per your request, master," Anakin smiled, "Master Unduli," he bowed to Luminara, "Barriss, nice to see you again."  
His companion, Aayla Secura smiled as well.  
"I'm glad you've contacted me, Master Kenobi."  
"Aayla," Obi-Wan gave her a light bow, "I suppose Anakin has already briefed you on the risks?"  
"What risks?" Aayla wondered, "He just said you needed all the help you could get."  
"Anakin!"  
"Sorry, Master," Anakin became the image of innocence, "But you're much better at explaining things than me."  
"You-" Obi-Wan got interrupted by his comlink.  
"Ensign Faro, what is it?"  
"We've detected another Actis approaching, sir."  
"Right on time," Anakin said and Obi-Wan glared at him.  
"Do you know something about this?" he asked, his suspicion growing.  
"Well, you said we needed all the help we could get, so I've..."  
"Anakin, what have you done?"  
As if to answer him, another Jedi fighter landed nearby and a tall man with long brown hair tied in a top-knot leapt out of the cockpit.  
"General Kenobi," he said with a curt bow, "It's good to see you. All of you."  
"General Kota," Obi-Wan greeted the newcomer, "what an... unexpected pleasure."  
"I was just finishing up nearby when Skywalker called. You're lucky."  
"I certainly am," Obi-Wan nodded.  
"Alright, the others should be here any minute now," Aayla said.  
"Of course, we... the others?" Obi-Wan fought to keep a straight face and Anakin blurted out:  
"I've had nothing to do with that, I swear!"  
His comlink beeped.  
"Yes, ensign?" Obi-Wan asked, giving up.  
"We've detected two more starfighters, do I-"  
"Oh, yes."  
The forward docking bay was starting to get rather cramped with masters Tiplee and Stass Allie joining the group.  
"Master Kenobi!"  
"Yes, I'm so happy to see you, I'm glad you came," Obi-Wan repeated, as the group of Jedi knights started resembling the beginning of an office party. He exchanged glances with Rahm Kota, who looked about as uncomfortable as Obi-Wan felt.  
"I'm so glad to see you again!"  
"Luminara, I haven't seen you for a long time..."  
"Anakin, are you letting your hair grow long?"  
"So this is your little Barriss..."  
"Aayla, good job back on Babali..."  
Force knows how this is going to end, Obi-Wan thought and said:  
"So, now that we're all here-"  
Aayla Secura cleared her throat in embarassment.  
"Actually, we're still waiting for someone."  
Obi-Wan stiffened and slowly turned towards her.  
"For whom?"  
A comlink beeped.  
"Yes, ensign?"  
"General, sir, how many more fighters do we have to fit in that docking bay?"  
"How many do you see?"  
"Just one, sir."  
"Thank the Force."  
"Do I-"  
"Yes, ensign."  
"So, Aayla," Obi-Wan asked as the fighter landed, "Who is it?"  
"Kenobi!" the newcomer called, "I see you've been busy recruiting!"  
Obi-Wan thought for a moment he was about to faint. Of all the Jedi in the Galaxy...  
"Quinlan Vos," proclaimed Obi-Wan, Luminara, Tiplee, Rahm Kota and Stass Allie simultaneously and exchanged surprised glances.  
"As an answer to: Who's about to fix Kenobi's problems for him?" Quinlan laughed, unfazed by the lukewarm welcome, "Nice to see you, Aayla."  
"You too, Master," his former padawan smiled.  
"Listen, ladies," Vos put his arms around Tiplee and Kota's shoulders. The latter shot him a glare that would have killed him on the spot if it could.  
"Have you heard that Wen the Vulture's dead?" he finished.  
"If I may-" Obi-Wan started.  
"Wen the Vulture?" Aayla blurted out, "What could have happened to him?"  
"Will everybody just SHUT UP!" Obi-Wan cried out, getting a shocked silence for an answer.  
"So," he continued in his normal voice, "thanks to Master Vos, we now know that master Wen has been murdered. His padawan has followed the assassin to Moraband and we're about to rescue her. Any questions?"  
"Moraband?" Vos raised an eyebrow, "Who could say no to that? I've always wanted to have a look around there."  
"Right now, I feel tempted to leave you there," Obi-Wan said.  
"Gentlemen," Luminara interrupted, "Either you stop bickering, or I take Barriss away to do something legal for a change."  
"Right," Obi-Wan nodded, "if everybody's still in, there's a shuttle waiting for us."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for making you wait so long, thank you all for your patience.

Sith tombs, Moraband

"Zanenn?"  
"Yeah?"  
"You can let go of me now."  
Both kept running along the narrow tunnel further away from the grave-filled chamber.  
"Are you sure this is the way out?" Kitraan asked after a while.  
"Probably not, but it most certainly is a way away from them," Zanenn retorted, "And along that way I want to get a long way away."  
"Listen, I really don't have a good feeling about going-"  
The tunnel suddenly ended in a rather small, undecorated chamber containing a single small tombstone, "-here," Kitraan breathed out.  
"We're safe here," Zanenn said, "for now."  
"It seems your idea of safety is not the same as mine."  
Kitraan crossed the room to examine the tombstone. She dusted it off with her sleeve.  
"Let's see... It looks a lot older than the others."  
"Listen, just for the sake of my peace of mind, go away from it. Are all Jedi this fascinated by underground graveyards?"  
"I've spent years learning the Order's history at the Temple and now I'm in it! More or less."  
"Make that less. And get away from the damn thing!"  
"It was you telling me I was safe here," Kitraan reminded him.  
"That's not the point of this conversation."  
"I'm starting to lose track of what is."  
She leaned over the tombstone.  
"'I am one of the first of the Sith lords, those who abandoned the Order to seek a darker path to truth.'"  
YOU KNOW WHO I AM...  
Zanenn jumped up as the sudden loud whisper came seemingly from everywhere and nowhere at once. Kitraan did not move an inch.  
SAY MY NAME  
"Kitty," Zanenn said carefully, "I may have just reevaluated my opinion of those dead people back there. I think we should go back."  
YOU KNOW MY NAME  
"Whether you know it or not, Kitty, by all that is good, come with me!"  
"I know your name. All Jedi do."  
"Then keep it to yourself and let's go!"  
SAY IT  
"One of the first exiles. Those who set the meaning of the word Sith. XoXaan..."  
The tombstone suddenly shook and crumbled to dust. That, however, did not fall to the ground, but rather rose higher up in the air and formed a silhouette of a woman. It opened its eyes. Blazing red.  
"After all these years," XoXaan whispered, "you finally heard my call."  
"I'm here," Kitraan said, as if hypnotized.  
"The Force is with you, Kitraan. The almighty Force coursing through every living thing. You cannot imagine the hunger, for so long... And at last...  
She reached out to Kitraan, but Zanenn was faster and pulled the Jedi back. He ignited Kitraan's lightsaber and pointed it directly at XoXaan's throat.  
"Listen, madam," he told the dusty figure, "I, unlike her, have no idea who you are, and I don't care, but if you don't... release her at once -"  
"I am not the one binding her!" she snapped and threw Zanenn against the wall. He heard something crack and was not at all sure whether it was the wall or his bones. He couldn't draw breath, but tried to look up at the Sith. The lightsaber was right where he'd left it, levitating in front of XoXaan. She balled her outstretched hand into a fist. With a loud metallic screech, the weapon became a rather pitiful mass of wires, metal and softly glowing green dust.  
"You are soaked to the bone in them. But I want you to let them go, for there is no truth in their teachings. If you walk the light, you can never see what the shadows can show you. Look into the shadows, Kitraan, and you shall be strong."  
"Through strength I gain power," Kitraan murmured.  
"Yes, that's right."  
"Through power, victory. And through victory, my chains are broken."  
"And who put you in chains, Kitraan? Who has left you for dead, helpless and defenseless? You feel it, don't you? You are alone."  
"She's not," Zanenn snapped and started to rise, leaning heavily against the wall,  
"Don't listen to her, Kitty, she's lying through her teeth! I did not believe you at first, but now I know that they will never leave you. You know it too, deep down inside! When we were alone in the dark, you told me about your training, about your friends! Don't let this dried out dusty corpse poison your mind and make you do things you'd regret forever. You are a Jedi, Kitraan, and you always will be!"  
"Ignore the little man. I am more powerful than he can imagine. It was me who brought you to Moraband and led you to me. It is because of me that you stand here now. Accept my teachings, Kitraan. It is your destiny. The meaning of your existence, from the very beginning. Your purpose."  
Kitraan stood still as a statue before softly saying: "My purpose... Is mine to decide, you old hag!"

"I knew you could do it!" Zanenn shouted as the two of them ran through the long corridor, XoXaan's screams and rumbling of falling stones echoing behind them.  
"Well, then you were alone!"  
They were already running as fast as they could, but attempted to pick up even more speed once they realized that the shadows around them were hardly ordinary. They slithered all around, trying to wrap around the duo's ankles. Apparently, XoXaan had kept a lot of things at bay to give Kitraan the opportunity to find her, but now her protection was over.  
"Kitty," Zanenn said, breathless, as they took a sharp turn into another narrow tunnel, "I suppose this may be my last chance to say it, so... I'm happy to have met you, even though it probably wasn't under the best of circumstances."  
"Not the best of circumstances? You've got to be joking!"  
"You're going to lecture me now?"  
"As you said, this may be my last - oh damn!" she blurted as they almost ran into a wall. A dead end. All the sith spectres were gaining on them fast. Kitraan closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on the last bit of hope she had left... When suddenly, the Force filled her with warmth, like a grenade exploding within her. She felt it spread all the way to her fingertips. She stood straight and tall, more powerful than ever before.  
"Get ready!" she shouted at Zanenn, turned towards the wall and shattered it with a single gesture.  
Zanenn waited for nothing, grabbed her by the arm and dragged her through the hole, but she was quick to assume lead. The ran and ran - through tunnels, walls and locked doors. The number of dark spirits following them only grew. They seemed to drain energy out of them both.  
Finally, the last wall fell, and the bright light of the outside world blinded both the Jedi and the hunter.  
Kitraan suddenly felt her strength leaving her. She felt herself falling, hitting the debris-covered ground, heard a male voice... And then everything grew dark.


	9. Chapter 9

**Several hours later, Daragon hyperspace lane**

  
Kitraan's awakening was slow and painful, as if someone had hit her on the head with an asteriod and then put her into a garbage compactor. She regained her hearing first. She heard doors swishing open, then voices.  
"How is she?" somebody asked. His tone was calm, but radiated concern.  
"The pathoscan doesn't show any abnormalities," a woman replied, "Apart from the wound on her forearm and some bruises, she seems to be in perfect health. Even so, I'd like to sent her to Dr. Nema and the council for reevaluation-"  
"You know I want your opinion, Luminara."  
Luminara? Luminara Unduli? Master Luminara Unduli?  
"I've just expressed it. She seems to be alright, at least as far as I can tell. Still, I have no idea what she's been through. A substantial psychological stress, that's for certain. I'm going to attach a request for further testing to my report, just to be sure."  
"You're right, that's probably for the best," the man agreed.  
Luminara cleared her throat.  
"What about the other one? The prisoner?"  
Kitraan kept her eyes closed on purpose now, afraid that they might stop talking.  
"We've left him in the brig after interrogating him. He's a bounty hunter, just as we thought. He confessed to master Wen's murder without prompting, but refused to ay anything about his employer or their motives."  
"Master," a new male voice said, this one much younger and more impatient, "if you'd just let me-"  
"Believe me, Anakin, master Tiplee and I have spent two hours questioning him with the Force, but he is almost unbelievably resillient. If we go any further, we could seriously damage his brain."  
"He's a murderer, master, why should we care about his wellbeing?"  
"Anakin!"  
"Gentlemen," Luminara interrupted, "if I may stop you right there, this is hardly the best place or time for an argument."  
"Quite right. Be quiet here, Anakin, padawan Tahiri is sleeping."  
"My point was," Luminara retorted, "that padawan Tahiri is wide awake and listening to our every word."  
Anakin started laughing. Kitraan had no choice but to open her eyes.  
"I'm sorry," she muttered, looking at the man sitting on the edge of her bed. She recognized him.  
"Master Kenobi!" she blurted out and the inside of her ears, the only place on her body without any fur, blushed, "Master Obi-Wan Kenobi! You have no idea how-" she stuttered "how... You were amazing in the Battle of Geonosis and... and you killed Darth Maul, and were given the command of the 212th Battalion and-"  
"Okay, that's quite enough," Obi-Wan smiled, but lifted an eyebrow reprimandingly at Anakin upon noticing the latter's expression.  
"And do you know who I am?" the younger Jedi asked Kitraan.  
She frowned in concentration.  
"No," she admitted innocently, "Who are you?"  
Anakin said nothing, only slammed the door as he exited the room. Luminara sighed and rose from her chair.  
"If my ears don't deceive me, we've exited hyperspace a short while ago. I'll go to the bridge and sort out the shuttles' landing clearance."  
"Much appreciated, Luminara."  
The mirialan nodded and walked out. Obi-Wan turned to Kitraan once more.  
"Just so you know, that young man was-"  
"Master Skywalker," Kitraan finished calmly, "I know."  
Obi-Wan gave her a smile.  
"You're quite the cheeky one, aren't you? With any other master, this would warrant a reprimand, but in Anakin's case, I think I'm prepared to be lenient."  
"Does it even matter anymore?" she sighed, crestfallen.  
"What do you mean?"  
"You're going to expel me from the order, aren't you, Master?"  
"Kitraan, I doubt the Council is going to even consider expelling you."  
"But Master, on Moraband, I have broken the Code more times than I can count and-"  
He interrupted her with a raised hand.  
"I've personally never met a Jedi who had never broken the Code, and even if I had, they would be a terrible person. Desire for absolute perfection is one of the many vices a Jedi should avoid, just like some of us want more power or freedom."  
"I only know what I don't want, Master."  
"And that would be?"  
"I never, ever want to let down those who trust me."  
Obi-Wan was silent for a moment, then said:  
"I think you are going to make an exceptional Jedi, Kitraan Tahiri."  
Kitraan looked down at her hands.  
"Master," she asked,"who is Darth Vader?"  
He frowned.  
"Who?"  
"A Sith, someone very important, I think," Kitraan clarified, "He had a tomb in the catacombs, but it was empty, so I've been wondering if maybe he wasn't killed and buried elsewhere."  
Obi-Wan shook his head slowly.  
"No," he said at last, "I've never heard of such a person, I'm sure of it. But the very name gives me shivers."  
"But if Darth Vader never was, that means..." Kitraan did not finish, knowing that the Master understood her even without words.  
"In any case, you should inform the Council about this, and about everything that happened to you since Master Wen's death. Can you write a report?"  
Kitraan nodded.  
"I've written more than enough of them for my master. I'll do as you ask."  
"Very well. It's going to take some time 'till we are cleared for landing. You stay here and try not to worry about anything."  
"Yes, Master."  
"Very well," Obi-Wan rose and turned towards the door.  
"Oh, Master!" Kitraan called. He turned.  
"What is it?"  
"What is to become of Zanenn?"  
"He is going to be charged and sentenced for any crimes we can prove," he said, "The Council will decide his punishment."  
"Will my intercession help?"  
"It is not a Jedi way to seek revenge, padawan."  
"No, Master, I meant an intercession for more leniency," she corrected and quickly continued once she noticed his raised eyebrow, "He never planned on hurting anyone else. That we ended up on Moraband, that was all my fault. He saved my life several times, and without him, I would not be here. What's more," she added, "a bounty hunter just does his job, just like we do, doesn't he? And unlike us, he can choose whom to kill."  
"Those are dangerous thoughts, Kitraan," Obi-Wan said, "We fight for peace."  
"But how do we even know what peace is?"  
"That's enough," the Jedi stopped her, "We will talk later. I will do what I can for Zanenn Cass, but I don't think even his recent commendable deeds will help him avoid at least a life sentence. I can't say anything concrete, as we have no information on his background or motives."  
"We do, Master," Anakin's voice said from the doors, "you're going to love this. I went to see him in JC43-"  
Obi-Wan chased him out of the room. However, for Kitraan's keen hearing , closed doors posed no obstacle.  
"You interrogated him even though I told you not to!?"  
"You never told me not to, Master, you just-"  
"Fine, fine," Obi-Wan snapped, "What did he say?"  
"He's from Nar Shaddaa. He used to be a member of the Red Moon, the smuggler gang, but he's already served his time for that. Then he worked as an enforcer for the Hutt cartel for a long time before running away and working alone. The one who paid for Master Wen's death was a zabrak called Snarro Kurs."  
"Oh, no. I remember the affair."  
"What affair?"  
"Five years ago, a pirate band abducted several children of wealthy merchants from Iridonia, when the boys stumbled upon their hideout. Our knights, led by master Wen, were tasked with destroying the band. Which they did. Literally. The young zabraks died in the explosion. During the investigation, Wen defended himself, said the pirates send him a message saying they'd killed the boys, so he didn't even attempt to rescue them. Even so, a lot of people claimed he just wanted to make the job easier for himself. Wen denied that, but ever since then, he didn't take on any mission of importance. Obviously, that was not enough for the zabraks."  
"What do you think, Master?" Anakin asked, "Was their revenge justified?"  
"Revenge is never justified," Obi-Wan said sternly, "You should know that as a Jedi."  
"Yes, but what do you-"  
"Anakin, the reason our order has survived for thousands of years is that we stick together. That should be enough for you. Have you written down what you've learned from him?"  
"No, not yet."  
"Come to the bridge, then," Obi-Wan said, "We'll put it directly into the ship log."

Once the sound of footsteps faded, Kitraan sat up, taking a deep breath. So that's how it is! How much must have Skywalker pushed Zanenn to make him reveal all that? No, I'm not going to think about that. It's none of my business. As master Kenobi said, no matter what he's done on Moraband, he'll face at least a life sentence. At least? Then what will happen to him at most? "If we go any further, we could damage his brain..." How far has Skywalker gone? Far enough, Zanenn wouldn't tell his secrets for nothing! He surely fought to the last breath, the damn fool! Just how far had Skywalker gone? Kitraan had to know.  
She quietly slipped out of the medbay, clad in a hospital gown. She ran as fast as the could toward the brig, successfully avoiding the crew.  
It was only at the entrance to the brig that she ran into a guard.  
"You will let me pass," she gestured.  
"Er, I... I will let you pass," the clone stuttered and moved aside.  
"And you will forget I was here."  
Kitraan ran, counting down the cell numbers. JC48, JC47, JC46... and finally JC43!  
She opened the door with the Force and entered. At first, she did not even recognize Zanenn. He lay curled up in the corner, face to the wall. He had not changed his shape in any significant way, but looked completely different. Now he was smaller somehow, thin and pale.  
"Zanenn," Kitraan whispered, but he only curled up tighter. She moved closer and put her hand on his now-bony shoulder, "It's me, Kitty. Don't be afraid."  
It felt strange to say such things to a man who had not flinched even when facing numerous beasts and sith spectres.  
He turned to her. His already prominent cheekbones were now sharp as a knife and his dark eyes were set deep as if he hadn't had a sip of water in days.  
"Will you do something for me?" he rasped.  
"Yes, of course."  
"Then kill me, please."  
He said the sentence with pragmatism that sent shivers down her spine.  
"What?" she blurted, "You can't mean that, I-"  
"You have no idea," he interrupted, sounding stronger, "You have no idea what..."   
Several tears fell down his cheeks.  
"You shouldn't have resisted, idiot," she told him, feeling her own eyes stinging. She sat closer and hugged him.  
"What happens now?" he mumbled.  
"You'll be brought before the Council. There they will question you and set an appropriate punishment."  
"Appropriate?" Zanenn snorted, "I don't believe in Jedi justice."  
"We're not all like master Skywalker, whatever he's done-"  
"You still don't get it, do you?!" he snapped, "Pain I can handle, I grew up with it, but who would ever trust a hunter known to the Jedi? Who'd ever trust a hunter who's babbled out every secret ever entrusted to him? He's destroyed me, do you understand? I'd rather be dead..."  
"Don't ever say that," she reprimanded, even though she was starting to understand, "I'll testify to the Council that you saved my life and-"  
"And what good will that do me?" Zanenn hissed, "Do you really think your great and almighty council cares about your testimony? No, if you want to thank me, kill me now."  
"What happened after we got out anyway?" Kitraan changed the subject.  
"You fainted and kissed the ground," he informed her, "Right in front of that cheeky young bugger-"  
"You mean Skywalker?"  
"That's the one. Once they saw me, they demanded I surrender in the name of the Republic. Well to a band of armed Jedi I'd surrender in the name of anything, so I let them handcuff me and put me on the ship. Skywalker threw you over his shoulder like a bag of kika nuts, but the rest stayed behind to chase back the things that had attacked us. I didn't see how they fared, but they all returned to the ship whole."  
"Can you keep your mouth shut?" Kitraan suddenly asked, "I mean, not ask why and such things?"  
"I was a bounty hunter, what do you think?"  
"Good," she said , grabbed Zanenn's arm and dragged him out of the cell.  
"What are you doing?" Zanenn blurted as they ran down one corridor after another.  
"You promised not to ask!"  
Soon they reached the escape pods. Kitraan entered the right code and one of them opened.  
"Inside," she ordered.  
Zanenn didn't move, just stared at her. He looked much closer to his former healthy self now.  
"Don't drag this out, or I'll change my mind," Kitraan told him, "Now chop chop."  
"I don't understand, do you remember what I've done?"  
"I don't get it, do you want to rot in jail or what?"  
"Of course not."  
"Thought so. Inside. And don't get caught. For both of our sakes."  
Zanenn looked down at her.  
"You could be expelled from the Order for this, at best."  
"Probably. But you did save my life from my own stupidity, so I owe you this much."  
He smiled, put his hand on her shoulder and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead.  
"If you ever need help, I'll be there."  
The airlock hissed shut and the pod launched. Kitraan took a deep breath and ran as fast as she could back to the medbay.


	10. Chapter 10

About half an hour later, Obi-Wan came to visit her again.

"Master," she greeted him, "I was not expecting you."

"Bad news," Obi-Wan said and sat down on the edge of her bed, "The bounty hunter is gone. Somehow he escaped from his cell and stole an escape pod. Do you have any sort of theory as to how this may have come to pass?"

Kitraan felt as if the master’s blue eyes could see right through her. He looked thoughtful, however, rather than angry.

"I have no idea, Master, how he might have archieved that on his own," she retorted, "But I know from experience that he is slippery as an eel."

"If we find him, we’ll know the truth and he will be punished," Obi-Wan said, "but I believe that our priority right now is getting you home safe."

"Thank you, Master."

Two days later, Jedi Council meeting, Coruscant

"The Counci has read your report with great interest, Kitraan Tahiri," said Ki-Adi Mundi, "The whole matter is unfortunate, especially the assassin’s escape."

He turned to Obi-Wan.

"Still no sign of him?"

"I’m afraid not," Obi-Wan answered, "I once again ask the Council for forgiveness for my failure. The ship was under my command and the prisoner my responsibility."

"Your ignoring the decisions of the rest of the Council as well as the insufficient safety measures aboard your ship have already been discussed during our last meeting. We will not mention the subject again."

Kitraan felt she was going to be sick from the amount of guilt she felt.

"My apologies for interrupting, Master," she said, surprising herself, "but I would like to take this moment to give my thanks to Master Kenobi before all of you."

The masters exchanged glances and Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Kitraan continued:

"I am fully prepared to face the consequences of my actions on Almania. It was my fault I got in danger in the first place. The fact that Master Kenobi risked his life to save me-"

"He risked more than just his own life, young lady," Mundi interrupted.

"He did save mine. And for that I am grateful. My whole life I have been taught about the Code. The moment he stepped on Moraband, Master Kenobi became its embodiment for me."

"I’m afraid I don’t follow, padawan," said Adi Gallia, "What does your situation have to do with the Code?"

"Master Kenobi did everything he could to protect one who could not protect herself. He showed the Galaxy that even a single life is worth saving. Even though I’m just a padawan. A padawan who’d made a mistake. You’ve accused him of insubordination, but as far as I know, a Jedi has responsibility not just to the Council, but to the whole order, no, the whole Galaxy! Am I not still a part of that?

Ever since we were children we’ve been taught to put compassion above our fear of the consequences. Until recently, I could not imagine such a situation," she paused, "and however you decide to punish me for this insolence, I tell you now that I have learned more in these past few days than ever before. Both about myself and about which values to follow. If you expell me, I won’t be a Jedi, but I know that I shall carry the determination to help those who may find themselves in a similar situation for the rest of my days. And that I have learned from Master Kenobi, not from you."

"That was very honest, " Windu said, "Far too honest in my opinion for someone so young."

His tone of voice was asking her to say: Forgive me, Master, but Kitraan resisted and met his gaze without flinching.

After a short battle of wills, Windu said:

"That will be all, Padawan Tahiri. You are dismissed."

Kitraan left the Council chamber in a sort of trance and walked, not really knowing where. She roamed the halls of the Jedi Temple until she found herself on the grand staircase overlooked by the bronzium statue of the Third Barsen’thor. She sat down on the marble stairs and watched the passers-by. She had no idea how much time had passed when a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Kitraan,"

It was Obi-Wan. Kitraan jumped to her feet and bowed her head.

"Master."

"This is hardly an official occasion, Kitraan. You may sit down again."

Kitraan did as he asked and, to her surprise, the Jedi Master followed suit.

After a long silence, Obi-Wan said:

"You should know that Master Wen’s troops have been transferred under my command to the 212th Batallion."

"Then they will be well taken care of," Kitraan said automatically.

"I certainly hope so, since they will be your responsibility."

"Excuse me?"

Obi-Wan smiled.

"Despite everything, the Council is not going to give up on you. We believe that you may yet become a fine Jedi. And since you’ve once again lost a master, we have chosen a replacement for you. Some may say that you bring bad luck, but I’m more than willing to take my chances. Although "willing" may not be the right word. I am grateful for the opportunity to teach you, Kitraan."

Kitraan fought back tears of relief as she told him:

"It will be my honour to study under you, Master."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there we have it, it's done! What do you think, does Obi-Wan know? Or is Kitty just paranoid?  
Anyway, thank you so much for giving this read and thank you for all your kind comments! Would you like me to continue Kitraan's story?

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks very much for giving this a read! Hope you enjoyed!


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